


Como Tú Me Quieres

by LostButterflyUtau



Category: Elena of Avalor (Cartoon)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Making Love, Oral Sex, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:55:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24633448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostButterflyUtau/pseuds/LostButterflyUtau
Summary: Intimate evenings were nothing new to her. But if this one happened, it would be different from any they'd shared so far. Her nervousness grows like a flame the more she ruminates on it... But Carla is nothing if not determined to at least try and see the night through. Whatever the results might be.
Relationships: Carla Delgado/Gabriel "Gabe" Núñez
Comments: 10
Kudos: 10





	1. In the Darkness, You're the Light

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to give thanks to my friend, ograndebatata for helping with a decent portion of this fic through suggestions and editing, including assisting with the summary. Another round of thanks goes to my sister, Lily, for her suggestions and edits as well. 
> 
> Also, thank you to all my fandom friends who kept encouraging me and especially to lovelyrugbee for the gorgeous art!

Carla took in a steadying breath as she carefully worked at undoing the buttons on the side of her dress. She tried to convince herself that this wasn’t a big deal. That it was nothing more than a step in the natural progression of a relationship. A step that she had thought about _very_ carefully since the night after the Sunflower Festival. But, thinking about doing it was wholly different from actually _experiencing_ it. Her hands started to tremble as she came to the final two buttons and the reality of the situation crept back into her mind. It wasn’t that she was afraid. Not really. In fact, the idea of crossing this line with him made her dizzy with excitement.

Most of the time.

She knew he’d at least thought about being with her intimately. That much was made clear on that night all those weeks ago. A shiver ran up her spine as the memory came back to her. She remembered it all vividly. The deep, lingering kisses. The way his hands gently ran along her back as he pulled her in closer. The intensity of his gaze when he pulled away just enough to meet her eyes before drawing her back in for another one of those urgent kisses. Heat flooded her face as she finally released the last button and was drawn back into that moment where he shifted and silently urged her out of his lap and back against the pillows of his bed. The moment where she realised that, as much as she enjoyed the idea of giving in to the growing heat of the moment, it just…didn’t feel right. Since then, she’d wondered if it really was the right decision. Would she have been less nervous if she had just done it then? Or would she have instantly regretted it? There was no doubt of their feelings for each other, but still…would that have been enough for her to feel _okay_ about it? 

Carla sighed to herself, let the dress fall to the floor and moved to open the bottom drawer on the armoire and pull out the telling black box tied with a bright pink ribbon hidden under her day dresses. She’d gone through more than enough trouble to hide it since she bought it that morning in fear of someone – anyone-- finding out about it. As far as she knew, none of her friends had any experience in these matters and the last thing she wanted was to not only ask such embarrassing questions, but for them to know that she was planning such an intimate night and then ask _her_ embarrassing questions. Unfortunately, keeping her plans a secret meant that, for better or worse, she only had herself to count on.

_‘Come on, Carla,’_ She said to herself, reached for and then pulled her hand away from the ribbon. _‘You’re the one that wanted this! At least put it on!’_ She took in another breath and reached for the ribbon again. This time, she pulled at it, let it unravel and then fall unceremoniously by her feet before removing the top and letting it join the ribbon as she shifted the box, held it with one hand and pulled the garment out with the other, tossing the second half as she stepped aside to slip the silk nightdress on. She smiled to herself as the fabric settled against her skin. Trying it on in the shop was one thing, but actually wearing it now was another. This morning had felt awkward with the shop owner hovering around, adjusting the straps and making sure it fit in all the right places, which she realised she was now grateful for as she twirled in her spot, let the fabric float around her before falling back into place. It was everything she had wanted. Long and elegant with just the right touch of lace. The only question was whether _Gabe_ would like it.

She felt her heartbeat quicken at the thought as she turned to the dressing mirror and started to finally untie her hair, eyes soon flicking from the hand that was carefully combing through the strands down to her reflection in the mirror. She stopped, took the hand that was in her hair and reached out to gently touch the reflective surface as her eyes scanned every part of her appearance, starting with the dark hair that was falling in waves, two pieces of which were settled over her breasts, which were framed in black lace that was meant to accentuate them. And it did. Unfortunately, doing so only made it obvious how _small_ they were. She frowned at the sight, continued on downward to look over her minimal curves and past that to where the high-cut slit had parted slightly on the left to show off part of her too-thin legs. She then let her eyes travel back upward until they met her reflection’s, fingers gently sliding down the glass as she stared for a moment before turning away and wrapping her arms around herself.

_‘What was I thinking?’_ She asked herself as she kicked aside the box sitting at her feet. This nightdress was _supposed_ to be everything she’d been dreaming of since she started planning out this evening. It was supposed to make her feel beautiful. Instead, she felt _pathetic_. Like she was trying too hard to make herself look sexy when she obviously wasn’t. The dress was clearly made for a woman with a fuller figure and didn’t show her off as well as she had hoped. 

She turned back to the mirror again and gripped herself even harder as she fought down the urge to burst into tears. She had always known she was small, but this made it glaringly obvious that she had no figure to speak of. She had always been able to hide that fact with cute skirts and wide sashes, but now there was no hiding.

She swallowed at the thought that if she did gather up the courage to face him like this; he was eventually going to have to take the garment _off_. She flicked her eyes back up to the glass, face flushing over at the thought of baring it all for him, of letting him see everything she was lacking, and not only in terms of her figure. She had no bedroom skills to speak of. Even with all the reading she had been secretly doing over the past few weeks, she still felt unprepared. She wanted it to be a special moment for both of them, but also wasn’t certain she could actually make that happen. What if she did everything wrong? What if that look she’d seen in all her dreams remained a fantasy and instead of pure love and desire she saw disappointment?

_‘I – I don’t think I can do this,’_ Carla thought and shook her head. The excitement she had felt earlier in the evening buckled under the wave of emotion that crashed over her as she finally gave in and let the tears fall. Everything had been _perfect_ up until this moment. The fancy dinner, the romantic dancing, the quiet walk through the gardens and back up to her guest suite. It had all fallen right into place. So, what was wrong now? 

She took in a breath to calm herself, reminded herself that if she didn’t stop, she would only end up worrying Gabe, which was the last thing she wanted. She didn’t need him fussing over her like that. Not tonight. She actually smiled at the thought as she brushed away the last of the lingering tears. He wasn’t always the best with words, especially when she was crying, but he still tried, even when all he could think to do was take her in his arms and let her know that he was there. That kind of thing was part of why she loved him so much. He _always_ tried for her, even when it was sometimes difficult or inconvenient for him.

_‘And now it’s my turn to try for **him** ,’ _She realised as she gently smoothed out her nightdress. While the idea of walking back into the room terrified her, somewhere in the back of her mind, she _knew_ she had to take the chance. After all, she had already come _this_ far. What was another few steps?

“You can do this. You _have_ to do this,” She encouraged herself as she looked over her reflection one more time and frowned at it again before shaking her head in an attempt to get rid of her lingering fears. It didn’t matter what she thought. Not now. Tonight wasn’t about her insecurities. It was about her and Gabe and their love for each other. A love that she never thought could run so _deeply_. Even just a year ago she was still struggling with her feelings and how to truly, honestly love someone and let herself be loved in return. It hadn’t been easy, but they worked their way through it and what had started out for both of them as a jumbled mess of feelings was now a deep, lingering affection that she felt so strongly she was willing to give him _everything_. Or at least try to. There was still the smallest chance he could reject her. That he could be disappointed in her appearance and what he thought she was lacking. But she knew she couldn’t keep going on her uncertainty.

Just a few weeks prior, when Gabe started reconnecting with an old friend, she’d done just that. She put so much weight into her doubts that she couldn’t get _anything_ done. She had failed both magic and etiquette lessons within those two weeks and, worst of all, strained her relationship until they ended up fighting. There had been no love then. Just heated anger and unchecked emotions that she knew had the power to destroy their relationship if they hadn’t both come to their senses. She didn’t want to do that again. Especially not tonight.

She closed her eyes, took in another slow breath. Reminded herself just as she had to do then that Gabe _loved_ her. She could see it in the way he looked at her. She smiled, felt the shiver from earlier returning as she thought for the first time of him giving her that look of pure adoration and desire that never failed in making her feel beautiful and wanted. She looked back to the mirror one last time, took a minute to fix her hair before finally turning away and towards the curtain separating the dressing area from the main bedroom. She reached out, hand trembling as she gripped one of the drapes and decided that it didn’t matter what she thought. She was going to let _him_ make the final judgement.

* * *

“What’s taking so long?” Gabe muttered to himself as he set down the last tea candle and then glanced about the room to make sure that it really was the _last one_. He had somehow missed the ones that were settled on the desk amongst a small array of blooms picked from the Palacio Rosado gardens that matched both those displayed in various ways around the room and the loose petals scattered about the floor and over the bedcovers. Of course, he _had_ been using only the moonlight to find his way to them since Carla had told him not to light any of the lamps. He paused at the thought of her, wondered again about the wait. She never took so much time to get ready for bed unless she was taking a bath beforehand. He then frowned at the thought that perhaps she had gotten herself worked up in some sort of mood. That maybe someone had said or done something while they were out, and it was just _now_ hitting her. It wouldn’t be the first time it had happened. Or, maybe she wasn’t feeling well suddenly. That she maybe ate something that didn’t agree with her or had been working herself too hard in preparing for the festival and was overcome with exhaustion.

He contemplated his options for a moment and quickly resolved to at least check on her and ask if she was alright. But, before he got the chance to even _think_ about turning around, he heard the soft shuffle of the curtains as they opened.

“ _Gabe_ ,” Carla called, drawing out his name in a suggestive tone as she delicately toyed with a piece of her hair, waited while he first startled and then seemed to consider his choices before slowly turning towards her.

At the sound of his name, an unexpected shiver ran up his spine. Whenever she wanted his attention, she usually spoke in a higher-pitched, cutesy voice, but this time, the tone was _lower_ and almost – dare he think it? – _seductive_. It was the same one she used when she couldn’t get enough of his kisses and insisted on _more_ , which he noticed that she had been doing more often lately. She had also been more affectionate than usual in the week leading up to their trip, and particularly that evening, even drawing him in for a lingering kiss while they were on the _dance floor_ during their date. He felt his face warming at the memory of her pressed against him while he gave into her silent demands and his hands settled against soft, exposed skin courtesy of the open-back dress she had been wearing. He smiled at the thought as he slowly turned around. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but it definitely _wasn’t_ to see her standing before him in a long, _black_ nightdress that was half lace.

He swallowed, blinked, felt his heart rate steadily increasing as he scanned her appearance, unsure if what he was seeing was actually real.

No. It couldn’t be.

_‘Could it?_ ’

He started from the bottom, followed the lace hemline up to where it ran along the sides of the slit that cut all the way up to her thigh and showed off more than a decent bit of her leg. His eyes continued upward, past the thin layer of solid black silk that clung and drew attention to every small curve and was topped with a heart-shaped clip resting between breasts delicately framed in lace that fit just perfectly over the curve of them.

He shook his head, told himself that this _had_ to be a dream – a very good dream, but a dream nonetheless – as he continued, first glancing at the hand that was still playing with a piece of the dark hair that was settled so… _perfectly_ around her shoulders and then up to her eyes, which, despite the confidence in her voice, held a layer of uncertainty.

Carla flicked her eyes up briefly to meet his before turning them back towards the floor, feeling unable to face him directly as she felt his gaze roaming every part of her body, taking in every detail. She felt a steady warmth come over her skin, face flushing with both desire and the fear she felt building in her core as the silence dragged on. She bit her lip, wished that he would say something – _anything_ – to reassure her that this wasn’t a complete mistake. 

Catching her expression, Gabe blinked again, realised that he’d spent too much time grazing over the small details, looking over and trying to take in every little lace-covered curve and that, as nice as they were to look at, it wasn’t those tiny details that mattered. It was the _woman_ who was wearing silk and lace. The one who had picked out the nightdress _just_ for him. Of course, he couldn’t be sure that was the exact reason. But, he also couldn’t imagine any other reason for her buying such a thing. It was so out of character for her. Carla’s clothes – particularly her pyjamas – often leaned more towards cute rather than – he flushed at the thought -- _sexy_.

_‘Wait…’_ He paused at the idea, took a minute to glance about the room again, the already noticeable flush on his face deepening when it finally clicked. The flowers. The candles. The black lace. The increased affection over the past week. She hadn’t asked him to stay so she could snuggle up and sleep with him. No. She wanted much more than that.

“Carla – ” Gabe started and her head shot up, her eyes finally meeting his. His breath caught, mind going blank when, beneath the hint of uncertainty, he saw an unmistakable spark of desire. He swallowed hard, willed himself to speak, to give her the reassurance he knew she needed. Carla would never admit it aloud, but he _knew_ she could be insecure about her looks and couldn’t imagine how nerve-wracking it must have been for her to plan this night all by herself.

Carla caught the shift in his gaze as if he had read her thoughts and fears. What had started as pure surprise slowly melted into a quiet reassurance mingled with a gentle but feverish love. It all told Carla what he thought of her, and that he thought much more than she ever imagined. For the first time since she put the nightdress on, she smiled. She knew in that moment that his focus was completely on _her_ and not only how she felt but how he wanted her to feel – beautiful, loved, _desired_.

He went to speak again, “You – You _look –_ No.” He shook his head, tried again. “What I mean is…I – Well, You – You’re…” He trailed off, watched her every move as she sauntered over to him, silenced him with a finger to the lips.

Her own gaze shifted, lips curving into a coy smile that told him all he needed to know as she breathed, “Kiss me.” 

He gathered her into his arms, carefully, gently. She stretched up on her tiptoes, heart racing in anticipation as he leaned in and claimed her mouth with his, drew her into a long, sensual kiss, caressed her lips with his, softly, intimately.

Carla shivered as Gabe’s hands roamed her back, fingers delicately gliding over the thin layer of silk. He felt goosebumps rising on his own skin as he pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. If she was still scared, he couldn’t see it. All he could register was the deep longing in her gaze that matched the one he felt swelling within him as she reached up, set a gentle hand on his cheek as his eyes flicked back downwards. 

When he looked back up, she tilted her head slightly. Caressing his cheek with her thumb, she teased, “What are you thinking about?”

Gabe smiled as her thumb ran over his cheek, “About how wonderful this feels. How wonderful _you_ are.” His fingers glided over Carla’s back once more. “How happy I am.” He drew her in just an edge closer, leaned in. Breath intermingling with hers, he whispered, “And how happy I would like to make _you_. If you’ll let me.” 

She didn’t respond. Not with words. Instead, she closed the distance between them. Hand moving slightly to cradle his jaw, she leaned into the kiss, poured her love for him into it as a steady, simmering heat bubbled up from her core and slowly made its way through every nerve in her body. She’d only felt this desire once before. On the night of the festival. She’d been scared of it then. Scared of what it meant to push those boundaries, of letting him see _all_ of her both in body and soul. But now, she welcomed it as she clung to him and kissed him deeply.

He revelled in the feeling of her in his arms, the delicate fabric underneath his fingertips, her heart beating in time with his own, the look of pure adoration and desire he saw in her eyes that told him this wasn’t – no, couldn’t – be a dream. He should know. He’d dreamed of this moment more than once – and now that he was living it and feeling so much more than he ever did in those dreams, he knew he couldn’t be imagining it.

Carla gave a soft giggle at the dazed look on his face, reached down and gently took his hands. “Come on,” She urged in a low whisper, pulling him along as she carefully glided backwards towards the bed. “Sit,” She instructed when she stopped.

Gabe had expected her to pull her onto the bed with him, not stop in front of it, but he did as he was told and settled himself at the edge of the bed.

“No. In the middle,” She insisted with another girlish giggle, waiting while he first gave her a curious look and then moved back further onto the bed.

He followed her every step, noting how the fabric moved with her as she made her way over to and then climbed up with him.

Though she had questioned the necessity of it when she first tried on the nightdress, Carla found herself grateful for the high cut of the slit and how easily she was able to move around and settle herself into his lap. She had settled there many times before, but this time, it felt _different_. This wasn’t going to be another one of their soft make-out sessions. No. This was something _far_ more intimate. Something Carla had given a lot of thought to. She’d run through several scenarios in her mind since that night, contemplated the perfect time, the perfect night, the perfect… _everything_. She had wanted it to be flawless, just like what she’d read about in the books she kept hidden under her bed at home. However, she was quickly realising that it didn’t have to be. Not in that sense.

“I guess it’s my turn to ask what _you’re_ thinking about,” Gabe teased, biting back the urge to laugh at her dazed expression as he reached up, gently brushed a piece of hair out of her eyes.

Carla blinked as if coming out of a trance, lips curving into a gentle smile as she processed the question, moved her own hand up to play with his hair. “ _You_ ,” She whispered, leaned in to press a soft kiss to his lips. “And how I love when you look at me like that” She leaned forward and touched his lips with hers again, “Really, _really_ love it.” She pressed herself further into him, or rather, she attempted to and let out an annoyed huff when she found that she was already as close as she could be.

Gabe laughed at her expression. “Well, that’s not very attractive.” 

Carla huffed again, rolled her eyes at his teasing, quipped back as she leaned forward again, “Just shut up and kiss me.”

He shook his head, gently pushed her back. “Only if you ask nicely.”

Though she wanted to be annoyed, Carla couldn’t help the smile breaking across her face at the thought that Gabe was getting a little too good at teasing her back. “Fine,” She said, feigning annoyance that he chuckled at. She flicked her eyes down, took in a small breath before glancing back up at him through her lashes. “Please, _Captain_?” She crooned, running a gentle hand up and down his chest. 

He responded by drawing her in. The kiss was sensual, yet sweet and made Carla feel special – like she was his everything. And she was, though he wasn’t sure if she really knew how much he felt for her. If not, she would certainly know by the end of the night. This night was going to be a huge step for the both of them and he had every intention of making it memorable for her, especially after realising how much thought she had put into it. He knew it wasn’t an easy decision for her and the last thing he wanted to do was ruin everything. He meant it when he said he wanted to make her happy. But, more than that, he wanted her to be _comfortable_. The only thing was that he wasn’t exactly sure what her level of comfort was. This was all so new for them. Even as his hands gently made their way around from where they were resting on her back to her waist – a move that he had made countless times before -- he contemplated whether or not he should _ask_ if he was even allowed to touch her. He certainly _wanted to_. In fact, just the idea of being allowed to let his hands wander, to explore all of her without reservation made him heady with anticipation. He swore he could feel himself growing harder at the thought. And yet, he hesitated.

His touch was light. So light that she barely registered it as his fingers gently ghosted over her sides, making their way first down to her hips and then back upward before lingering over her waist as he considered his next move and she pulled back, resisting the urge to frown when she caught the uneasiness in his eyes. Just a minute ago, he had been eagerly returning her kisses, hands wandering over her back as they started to lose themselves to each other and now he seemed unsure of himself and what he was supposed to be doing, which was understandable. She was too. But she still couldn’t keep from thinking that she did something wrong. She held back another urge to frown at the thought, turned her focus instead on him. Reassurance had never been one of her strengths. She was always lost on what to say or do in these situations unless she – She paused, gave a fleeting glance to the hand currently resting on his shoulder and briefly considered reading his thoughts as she eyed her bracelet. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d done it. But using it on him never felt right. Even that very first time when she used it to confirm his crush had felt wrong. She justified it by claiming she was only trying to protect her own heart – which was true – but it didn’t make it feel any less wrong. And using it on him now would feel like a cop-out. She decided when they first started seriously seeing each other that she wouldn’t do it again unless she was put in a place where she had no other choice. Relationships were built on feelings and trust and actual communication, things that would never actually build if she continually invaded his private thoughts. 

Carla bit her lip, contemplated her options. She supposed it would be easiest to just _ask_ him what he was thinking but couldn’t bring herself to form the words. The lingering silence was awkward enough. What if she tried to ask and it just sounded stupid? The last thing she wanted was to ruin the moment by sounding like an idiot. But if she didn’t ask, then – she stopped, thoughts halting as she again registered the light touch of his fingers as they moved first downward and then back up again before he pulled his hands away and gave her an uncharacteristically shy smile.

_‘Hmm…’_ She thought to herself, looked from his hands to his face, bit back a giggle when she put the pieces together. Even though he wasn’t trying to be, he was just so _cute_. She could see the flicker of desire in his eyes. He wanted so much to touch her, to start breaking down the barriers, but wasn’t sure what to do or even if he was _allowed_ to do it. She smiled at the thought, reached over and carefully took one of his hands, guided it over to rest on her exposed thigh as she gave in and giggled at the way his eyes widened as they flicked down to the hand she was holding.

“It’s _okay_ ,” She said with a reassuring smile before she leaned in, moved her hand to join the other one wrapped around his neck. “Put your hands on me,” She breathed, her voice against his ear making him shudder. 

“A – Are you – ” He stuttered even as his fingers inched upward. 

“ _Yes_ ,” She interrupted, closed the distance between them with a slow, intimate kiss. “I _want you_.” She pressed her lips to his again, the already-prominent blush on her cheeks darkening when she whispered, “Make love to me, Gabe.”

He didn’t – couldn’t – respond at first. He blinked. Had she actually said _those words_? The ones he’d heard only in his dreams? Except this wasn’t a dream. She was actually _there_ in his arms, saying those words and looking _irresistible_ against the soft glow of the candlelight. He already thought she was beautiful, but this was something different entirely. He wasn’t sure there was a good enough word for how she looked at the moment as she took her hand to his collar, gently pulled him in, her intense gaze meeting his in the glow of the flickering light. He felt a sudden rush of heat making its way through his body as he leaned in, met her halfway, their lips melding together in another deep, lingering kiss.

Tasting the love and desire on her tongue made Gabe forget for a moment his remaining fear and insecurity as he threw himself into that kiss, putting all of his own love and desire for her into it as his hands carefully slid upwards, fingers tracing a gentle path along her soft, warm skin in the same moment that hers came down over his shoulders to fiddle with the buttons on his collared shirt. She managed to unfasten the first two before she paused, hands trembling at the thought of being able to finally, delicately, run her fingers over the planes of his chest, to trace along every little line just as she imagined so many times before. Of course, she never told him about those few times she spent watching him go through physical training with the other guards. About how eye-catching he had been with his upper body clad in only a white undershirt as he performed those exercises. About how, on once such occasion, she lost herself in a daydream where they were tangled together under the moonlight, hands and lips carefully inching past known territory. But that was a _fantasy_. One in which she _knew_ what she was doing as her fingers traced their way down his body, taking in every tiny detail. In reality, she had _no idea_ what to do or how to do it. Even with the time she spent secretly poring over those romance books, she was still lost on how to please a man.

“You’re shaking,” Gabe observed, his voice and touch breaking her train of thought as he took her hands in his.

Oh, well – ” She started, her eyes quickly darting from their hands to his face and back again. She bit her lip, racked her brain for some sort of explanation. She supposed she could brush it off, tell him that she was simply excited, which wasn’t a lie. Not really. She _was_ excited at the prospect of taking such a huge step and being able to get close to him in a way she’d never thought she’d allow anyone to be with her. But she was also afraid of getting everything _wrong_. What if he _didn’t_ like the things she tried? What if she misread his signals and accidentally ruined the mood? There were just so many things that could go wrong. 

“Carla?” He pressed gently, gave her hands a reassuring squeeze to let her know that he was there and wanted to hear what she had to say. Though he always preferred when she was open with him, he knew that, even after being together this long, it still wasn’t always easy for her to speak up.

Feeling unable to actually face him, she looked up at him through her lashes, breath catching when she caught the concern in his eyes. She cast her eyes down again. She’d told herself she didn’t want to worry him but had ended up doing it anyway. She took in a breath, decided in that moment that she _had_ to be honest, even if what she had to say was embarrassing. She’d already voiced several things she never thought she’d actually say out loud. She turned back to him, admitted, “It’s just – Well – I’ve never done this before and…”

Gabe smiled, brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “It’s _okay_ if you’re nervous,” He reassured, gently caressed the back of her hand with his thumb as he confessed, “I am too.”

“You… Are?” Carla asked. She suspected as much, given his hesitation in touching her, but hearing him actually admit to it calmed her and made her feel like she wasn’t alone in this. It wasn’t _just_ about him and his feelings, or even just her and her own feelings. It was about the two of them guiding each other through this step _together_.

He nodded, continued, “I’m just as inexperienced as you are.”

She gave him a gentle smile that slowly curved into a tiny smirk as she took her hands back to his shirt. Leaning in, she purred, “Then I guess we’ll just have to figure it out together.”

He didn’t answer, only returned the kiss when she claimed his mouth again, tongue sliding past her parted lips to tangle with hers as his hands instinctively slid back downward, fingers carefully ghosting down her sides, making her shiver against him. He pulled back, studied her eyes for a moment, relished in the way they sparkled with excitement as she moved to kiss him again.

She gave a soft gasp against his mouth when she felt one of his hands sliding its way back up her thigh, fingers slipping underneath the silk to trail along her heated skin while his lips travelled downwards and made a trail of delicate, feather-like kisses down her neck.

“G – Gabe,” She breathed, eyes fluttering closed as her own hands started to tremble again. This time, however, it wasn’t her nerves that made her shudder as his other hand moved from its spot on her back to tangle in her hair.

He smiled against her skin. Because she tied it up most of the time, it was rare he got to take in the feeling of the silky locks threading through his fingers and he revelled in any chance he had to play with her hair. He bit back a groan at the way she shivered against him when he worried the sensitive spot between her neck and shoulder as his other hand inched even further up her thigh, over her hip and then stopped, moved back down an inch before sliding back up again. He expected to feel fabric. Satin, silk, lace… _something._ Instead, he only felt skin underneath his fingertips.

“ _Carla_! You – You’re not…” He muttered, eyes meeting hers as she tilted her head slightly in curiosity and then giggled when she finally registered the placement of his wandering hand and connected it with what he was trying to say.

“Is that a problem?” She teased coyly, moved her own hands up and parted the fabric of his shirt with them.

“No. Not at all,” He whispered back, lips curving into a warm smile when she giggled again before drawing him back to her, their lips moulding together in a soft, sensual kiss. Of course, it wasn’t a problem. In fact, it was the exact _opposite_ of a problem. Gabe loved the way her skin felt against his fingers and groaned against her lips at both the thought of being able to further explore her body and the feeling of _her_ fingers slowly tracing their way down his chest, nails gently ghosting over his own overheated skin as he pulled back just enough to shrug out of his shirt and toss it aside.

Though she’d seen him without a shirt countless times before, and even spent some time pressed up against him during their private beach date the previous week, resisting every urge to let her hands wander as they kissed and kissed in the open sunshine – something they would have never done even a few months ago – this time, it felt _different_. Maybe it was because she knew she was _allowed_ to touch him? To let her hands explore his body freely? Or, perhaps it was knowing that they were inching ever closer to breaking down those final barriers? Whatever the reason, she embraced the feeling as she resumed sliding her hands over the smooth lines of his chest, lips curving into a tiny smirk at the way he breathed her name and shuddered at her touch. She couldn’t help the satisfaction she got from his reaction and the fact that it was _her_ touch that caused it. That she was the only one who got the privilege of seeing and being with the usually strong, disciplined Captain of the Guard in such an intimate way. The thought sent a pleasant wave of electricity down her spine as she shifted slightly, a new wave of warmth coming over her face when, as she leaned in to meet his lips once again, she felt him pressing eagerly against her inner thigh.

Gabe let her take the lead, yielded to her silent demands to deepen the kiss when she delicately nipped at his lower lip, moved to press herself closer to him as his fingers continued to slide up and over her waist before stopping again. As much as he loved this feeling, he couldn’t help but want _more_. He didn’t want to just touch her. He wanted – no, _needed_ – to _see_ her and knowing that she likely had nothing on underneath her nightdress only made him _more_ curious as to what she was hiding underneath the thin layers of silk and lace. The only question was, would she _let_ him see her like that? As vain as she could be, he knew that her body image was a sore spot for Carla. He remembered when she confided in him about how much she hated shopping for swimwear in both the Mirror World _and_ their realm, and how she nearly broke down when looking for the perfect prom dress and was met with one disappointment after another, which only culminated when she was told to look at _children_ - _sized_ clothing. The thought of someone telling her that made him annoyed _for_ her.

She wasn’t a child. She was a grown woman. A _beautiful_ woman who deserved to feel loved and desired, to have every perfect curve admired and appreciated.

Heat flashed over his skin at both the thought and the feeling of her lips as they began to trail down his neck, her hands continuing to make nonsensical patterns as they moved over his chest and continued their path downward. His breath hitched when those delicate fingers slid over and then past his stomach as he turned part of his focus from what was underneath the silk to the lace that was on top of it as he toyed with the hem for a moment before bringing his other hand around.

Startled by the sudden pull on her dress, Carla pulled back slightly, flicked her eyes down to where his hands were carefully tugging at the fabric around her thighs. Her skin flushed all over again with fear at the thought of letting him go through with actually pulling the garment _off_ of her. She’d expected this, of course. She knew he was going to have to undress her. But, she didn’t expect all of her insecurities to come crashing back down on her, especially not after they’d gotten _this_ far. She swallowed hard, heart beating against her chest as she glanced back up at him, thought for the second time about his reaction and what she would do if he ended up being _disappointed_ in her figure, or lack thereof.

_‘Stop it, Carla!’_ She scolded herself. She thought she had gotten past this. She took in a small breath, reminded herself that Gabe was not going to be disappointed in her. He _loved her_. She’d seen it in his eyes all night. Felt it in every kiss. Every touch. Yet, despite knowing this, part of her was still terrified at the thought of the vulnerability that came with baring herself completely before him.

Sensing the sudden shift in her demeanour, Gabe knew better than to push ahead. Instead, he leaned in, hands still tugging at fabric as he whispered, “Can I?”

Her breath hitched, both because of the eager yet gentle spark in his eyes and the fact that he actually _asked_. She was touched at the way he made it a point to make sure _she_ was comfortable despite his own admitted nervousness. She gave him a shy smile as she leaned over to delicately touch his lips with hers. She willed herself to answer him when they broke but found that she couldn’t even _think_ of a word, nonetheless say one, so she simply nodded.

His heart was racing as he started to gently, slowly, push the silk upward past her thighs and over the cute little stomach that he’d seen the few times she wore that adorable ruffled bikini for him.

Feeling unable to face him, Carla closed her eyes, her own heartbeat quickening as she registered the feeling of cool air on her skin as he inched the fabric up higher and higher until he finally pulled it over her head. When she blinked her eyes open again, she met his for a brief moment before turning them back downwards, suddenly shy as she awaited his reaction and felt the gentle caress of his eyes as they roved what he could see of her body.

Gabe’s breath caught in his throat as he held the garment in his hands, reminded himself to _breathe_. He had thought about this moment several times before, and had been thinking about it more often since the time they had gotten carried away and almost gave into the lingering flame that had been building between them. And now that it had arrived, like so much about this night already, he almost couldn’t believe it. Looking back, he was actually glad she had stopped it that night. She deserved so much more than a moment of heated passion that sparked seemingly out of nothing. She was beautiful –impossibly so – and deserved to be loved, touched and kissed in a way that made her feel just as special as he thought she was. 

Even though she was still, her slender, lithe figure displayed that edge of grace she would show so often when she danced. The same, subtle curves the garment had drawn attention to before were now on full display looking so perfect that words failed him. The delicate smoothness he’d felt before seemed to call to him, somehow tangible through his gaze alone. But, more than that, there was something special, almost _magical_ about this moment, about this path that they had chosen to go down together because of their love for each other. A love that he realised she felt so deeply she wanted to give him _everything_. She wanted _him_ to be her _first._

Carla bit her lip, fingers moving to play with a piece of her hair as she failed at willing herself to look back up at him. She wanted so much to have the courage to stare up into his eyes, to see and revel in the emotions that dwelt within them as he took in the sight of her. But, she didn’t. Despite telling herself yet again that he loved her – _all_ of her -- she couldn’t force down the lingering fear and the thought that, maybe he wasn’t saying anything because he didn’t like what he saw. The hand toying with her hair started to tremble at the thought.

_‘Don’t cry. Don’t cry,’_ She told herself, shut her eyes again in an attempt to ward off the feeling as she whispered, “I -- I’m sorry.”

Her words snapped Gabe out of his trance, his focus immediately shifting as he finally, gently set the dress down, wondered what – if anything – he’d done wrong. The last thing he wanted was to make her feel uncomfortable or – he frowned at the thought – inadequate. He reached over, asked as he brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear, “What are you sorry for?”

She didn’t respond right away. Instead, she took in a breath, swallowed back the tears she felt rising up. “That – I – Well…I’m not – ” She paused, murmured, “ _More_.” 

He stopped, took a moment to process her words, eyes widening slightly when he realised what she meant. “Oh, _Carla_ ,” He said, carefully took her hands in his. “Look at me. _Please_.” 

Carla hesitantly lifted her head to meet his eyes, heart stopping when she caught the mixture of concern and adoration within them. Though she had told herself not to cry and had done a decent job at holding back her emotions, seeing the pure, honest love in his eyes finally sent them over the edge.

He smiled reassuringly, reached up to gently brush the silent tears from her cheek, “Carla, listen to me,” He encouraged, squeezed her hand just a little tighter, “I don’t need you to be more.”

He didn’t wait for her to respond as he leaned in, pressed a gentle, tentative kiss to her lips.


	2. Say it with Your Eyes, I'm Your Paradise

The moment his lips touched hers, her heart fluttered. She knew without a shadow of doubt that he spoke only the truth and let herself fall into the kiss as he silently pressed for more, slipping his tongue between her lips when they parted underneath his. She let him take the lead, let out a breathy moan against his lips at the feeling of his skin pressed against hers, cheeks flushing over when she realised yes, she was the one who’d made that sound.

He gave a soft laugh at the stunned expression on her face as he carefully urged her out of his lap and back onto the bed, watching as her eyes followed him as he shifted, moved to ease himself on top of her. Before he did anything else, he took this chance to look her over again, to run his eyes over and admire every part of her now that he could properly see everything -- from her dark hair splayed out over the pillow, to her sparkling, violet eyes hazy with love and passion, down her slender, dainty neck to her perfectly rounded breasts, which carefully rose and fell with every laboured breath she took. As beautiful as they had looked hidden behind silk and lace, he found them even more enticing now, ruminated for a moment what it would be like to finally be able to take them in his hands, to feel them pressed against his chest with no barriers between them. He leaned down, placed a light kiss to one, noticed for the first time after he did so how, when she blushed, it ran down the length of her neck, settling just so in the centre of her chest. His eyes then continued downward, over her stomach, past the subtle curves of her hips, to where dark curls rested over delicate folds, beyond which he knew lay the core of her body. Everything – every little detail – from the cute little curl that rested over her forehead all the way down to the tips of her painted toenails was _perfect_. Absolutely perfect. 

“You’re perfect,” He murmured.

All of her previous fears dissipated as she saw the way he admired her, eyes filled with warmth and affection. She could scarcely believe that anyone could appreciate her body that way, much less say what he did. Warmth flashed over her skin at the thought that he found her not only attractive, but _perfect_. He made her feel more beautiful than she ever thought she could. She reached up, slid her hands over the smooth lines of his chest, and around his neck as she breathed the only coherent thought she had,

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” He responded in a low whisper and kissed her like he’d never kissed her before – without hesitation or reservation and with every ounce of love and passion he had for the incredible woman he was amazed to call his. Falling for her had been unthinkable. He thought it had to be a mistake, tried to convince himself that it _was_ a mistake. That it was just a simple crush. When he thought back on it, he realised that he’d simply been scared. He’d never felt anything that strongly before. But now? Now, there was no fear as he kissed her deeply, the smouldering heat that had been building throughout the night erupting into flame as Carla pulled him down with her and kissed him hard. As close as they were, she still wanted him _closer_. She arched her back, revelled in the way he groaned against her lips at the feeling of her pressing herself up against him, her hardened nipples brushing against his chest.

 _‘Wait…’_ She thought, thinking that something seemed off -- though she couldn’t pinpoint what until he shifted, and she registered the feeling of fabric against her inner thigh. She broke their kiss, held in a laugh at his startled expression.

“Did I – ” He started to asked.

She cut him off, said with a teasing smile as she played with his hair, “This isn’t fair, you know.” 

He didn’t respond, only tilted his head slightly, gave her a questioning look.

She giggled, continued, “Why am _I_ the only one who’s completely naked?” She held in another laugh at the way his expression changed while he processed the situation and then blinked when he realised that he was _still_ wearing clothes before giving a soft laugh of his own and carefully sitting up on his knees, meeting her eyes as she sat up slightly, propped herself up on her elbows to observe while he fiddled with first his belt buckle and then the buttons, at last giving the unrelenting heat in his own groin some form of relief. He struggled to get his trembling hands to push the fabric from his legs, his concentration not being helped by her curious, violet eyes watching his every move as she took in the sight of him, heartbeat quickening in anticipation of being able to feel him – _all_ of him – pressed against her.

Her face flushed all over again, breath catching in her throat as he tossed the remainder of his clothes aside, the final barrier between them falling to the floor.

She had seen Gabe fairly undressed before on their trips to the beach, but this... There simply was no comparison. The undulating of the candles around them seemed to go over his skin like her hands itched to, outlining his defined muscles better than any suit or uniform she’d seen him in. Though the word was not typically used to describe men, there was no term for him other than 'beautiful'.

She almost had to remind herself to breathe when she caught the adoring look on his face illuminated by the candlelight. Her eyes left his’, ran down his strong chin to go over his broad shoulders, past his sculpted pectorals and defined abs before moving even further downward and stopping as they locked onto a certain body part.

One she hadn’t seen before.

Her breath hitched again, a hint of concern pricking at her as she thought that, while she had no actual term of comparison, he seemed big enough. She swallowed at the thought of what it would actually _feel like_ once he was inside of her. Would there be enough room for all of him? What if it hurt? She _was_ small, after all.

Carla took in a breath, decided to shift her focus as she looked back up, met his eyes. In those eyes there was no fear, only a deep longing, a steady, feverish love that told her he desired her and _only_ her. Suddenly, she couldn’t stand the fact that he was so far away. She raised a hand and put it to Gabe's neck.

Sensing what she wanted, he leaned down, slipped one arm underneath her to draw her up as he supported himself with his other hand. Their lips met in a scorching kiss, tongues tangling in their familiar dance as Carla ran her hands through Gabe's hair and let herself get lost in everything that was him. The only thing she registered was the feel of his lips against hers. His soft hair threading through her fingers as she played with it. The way his heated skin felt against hers. The heady scent of cologne mixed with the natural scent that was so purely _him._

As they parted, both of them were panting, the candles somehow making the desire in Gabe's eyes glow even stronger than before.

Once more, her eyes flicked downwards, and she bit back a moan at the sight of him standing at full attention for her. _Because_ of her. A bit of joy bubbled within her. As gone as her doubts about him finding her beautiful were at this point, there was something she liked about having this kind of visual evidence of his attraction.

He laughed, teased, “I think somebody likes what she sees.”

Before she could even _think_ of a response, his lips were caressing hers again as he kissed her slowly, intimately, carefully lowering her back down onto the bed as he did so and then bringing the hand that had been resting on her back around to gently, hesitantly cup one of her breasts, stopping when he felt her own hand settle on top of his.

She looked up at him through her lashes, requested as she squeezed his hand, “Be gentle, alright?” 

The love and vulnerability in her gaze made his breath catch. He nodded, whispered in response, “I promise.” He leaned up, placed a soft kiss on her head. He couldn’t bear the thought of hurting her, even accidentally. He wanted this night to be memorable for all the right reasons, wanted to take his time in getting to know her body intimately and figuring out what she liked. He’d give her a chance to do the same to him later, decided that, for now, he was content to focus on her needs as he started a new trail of light kisses down her neck, his hand tenderly caressing her breast.

She gave a light whimper in response. She’d never been touched like this before and wasn’t sure how she was supposed to react. She knew she _liked_ what he was doing, but what if he did something she _didn’t_ like? Was she allowed to say so? Or, what if – Her thoughts halted, a startled gasp of his name escaping her lips when she felt his teeth sinking into her skin as he nipped at a point on her neck.

He immediately pulled back, came up to meet her eyes, “Carla, I…”

“It’s _okay_ ,” She interrupted, raised a hand to caress his cheek. “I – I _liked it._ You just startled me.”

He breathed a sigh of relief, gave her a soft smile as he reached over, said as he brushed a piece of hair from her eyes, “Well, you let me know if I’m doing anything you _don’t_ like, alright?”

Carla returned the smile, which he took as a sign to continue, leaning down to meet her lips in a reassuring kiss before resuming his ministrations. He gently kissed the spot he’d bitten, ran his tongue up the length of her neck and smiled against her skin at the way she shivered in response, her dainty whimpers melting into soft little moans as his lips continued their path downwards while he brought both hands up, cupped her breasts again, fingertips carefully brushing against the sensitive skin as he took in the feeling of them, relished in how _soft_ they were and how perfectly they fit in his hands.

She moaned softly, her own hand playing with his hair once more. She wondered for a moment if _she_ should be doing more for him, but the thought was quickly lost on her when she felt his thumbs brushing over her already tight nipples in the same moment he gently nipped at and then kissed that sensitive spot between her neck and shoulder. She gasped, her other hand tangling in the blanket as she instinctively arched her back, pushing her breasts upwards and further into his hands. 

_‘She **likes** this,’ _He realised. He hadn’t been sure what to expect, but was more than pleased with both the verbal _and_ physical reaction he was getting and let that guide him as he continued to tease one of her breasts and, after one last kiss on her neck, took his mouth to the other, earning first another startled gasp and then a low, sultry moan of his name as he took her nipple with his lips and gently flicked it with his tongue, before he drew it into his mouth and carefully tugged, gently at first and then harder when her grip on his hair tightened, nails scraping against his scalp as she revelled in these new sensations that felt so different from anything she’d ever done with her own hands.

For one, she felt so much… _more_. There was an overarching feeling of being loved and desired that she could never replicate on her own. A love that could only be communicated through _his_ touch as his hands and lips traced and teased over her skin, while those normally soft, chocolate eyes were now tinged with passion and looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. She let her head fall back, eyes fluttering closed as she registered the feeling of his hand as it moved from her breast and started making a path down her body, fingers ghosting along her stomach as he came back up and captured her mouth with his.

Gabe could feel her heart beating in time with his, heard her inhale sharply as that hand descended past her stomach and then stopped. He swallowed when he realised what he was about to do next. He wanted so much to keep going, to touch her in that most intimate way, swore he got harder at the mere _thought_ of doing so. But he also knew this was delicate territory. And, despite having her permission to touch, he was reluctant to push forward until he felt her hand as it slid from his shoulder.

He glanced back up at her eyes, saw in them the encouragement he needed as she gave his arm a reassuring squeeze, a silent way of telling him that she wanted him to keep going, which he did slowly, hand tentatively continuing its path downwards until it slid between her legs. He watched her face, studied her eyes for any sign of discomfort or resistance, his own eyes widening when his fingers finally dared to make contact with her heat, and he found her wet. He’d read – and heard – that could happen with a woman but had never been able to imagine what it would feel like until now. A bit of pride formed in his core at the thought that not only was _he_ responsible for such a physical reaction, but that he was also the only one who had ever had the privilege of getting to know her this way.

She mewled in pleasure as he started to explore her folds, his fingers carefully, slowly prodding, sliding against the hidden flesh of her body. She didn’t instruct him. Not yet. She wanted to give him a chance to figure her out on his own.

“ _Carla_ ,” He groaned, leaned down to kiss her again, gently rolling his tongue over hers as he did his best to guide himself by both the noises she was making and her movements, soon being startled in a good way by her reaction when he moved his hand up higher. Yet, while he was eager to keep going and growing more confident in being able to figure out what she liked, he paused, unsure of exactly what his next move should be. While she was responding well to what he was already doing, he knew that there had to be _more_ he could do for her.

“Show me,” He murmured against her ear, placed a small kiss below it, the blush across his face deepening when he continued, “I – I want to touch you just the way you like.”

Carla’s eyes widened slightly at the request, a new wave of heat spreading across her own face at the thought of what she was about to show him and how he would react to it as she silently reached down to guide his hand to where she wanted it, arched her hips slightly so that he could slide a finger _into_ her. “ _Here_ ,” She breathed, pressing his thumb against her clit and letting out a soft cry when she started to move her body against his hand.

He took in a breath, bit back a groan at both the sensation of her warm, soft heat surrounding his finger and the way she moved against him, a gentle moan rolling off her lips when he started to move with her, his lips trailing small kisses along her neck and shoulder. “Here?” He whispered, thumb delicately teasing her where she’d indicated.

“ _Yes_ ,” She gasped, her own hands clutching at his shoulders. “Ri – _Ah_! – Right there.” She gripped him even harder, relished in the way he moaned against her skin when her nails pressed into him as his movements started to get smoother and he found just the right rhythm for her. At least, he figured he did, given the way she gasped out his name and threw her head back against the pillow.

He thought he’d seen every side of her at this point -- from the way she lit up, eyes sparkling with pure joy when they danced to those days when he comforted her after she ran to him crying. He’d held his own against her fierce temper and even looked after her when she was sick and trying to push him away. But _this_? This was something entirely different. Now there were no barriers between them and no hint of the mask she often used to cover her emotions.

He felt a slow, steady wave of heat making its way through every fibre of his being at the view of Carla getting lost in her pleasure because of him, because of _his_ touch. He felt his heart pattering in his chest, pride swelling in bringing his lover to such heights. Biting his lip, he admired the deep flush on her cheeks and the way it seemed to darken whenever their eyes met, hers blazing with passion and tinged with the utter joy and trust she felt for him.

Gabe took in a breath, attempted to hold back what his desires were saying as he kept his focus on attempting to please her. He wanted to make her pleasure last as long as possible. She _deserved_ it. He savoured this moment. The sound of her softly moaning his name, the feeling of her nails pressing gently into his skin when he hit _just_ the right spot… And more than that, the fact she trusted him so much to be before him like that and show him this completely vulnerable side of herself...It was in that second he felt like the luckiest man in the world.

He was only drawn out of his thoughts when she spoke again, her grip on his shoulders tightening as she struggled to find and form the words and he continued his movements.

“S – See if you – _Ah!_ – If you can – Fit another one in,” She requested through breathless gasps. As much as she _loved_ what he was doing, she knew she needed _more_ to relieve the lingering ache between her legs as she continued pushing herself against his hand.

He paused, considered his choices for a moment. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to. He _did_. Especially since she was actually _asking_. He appreciated how she was willing to voice her desires, to guide him through it and show him what she liked and wanted. But, as much as he enjoyed pleasing her, he also feared hurting her. He’d heard it could hurt for a woman the first time but wasn’t sure if that only applied to the actual _act_ or if the same was true for foreplay.

“It won’t hurt?” He asked, his thoughts carrying over into his words.

Unable to come up with a viable response, Carla simply shook her head. She _hoped_ it wouldn’t hurt, figured that it shouldn’t. After all, she’d done it herself plenty of times. Then again, his fingers were bigger than hers.

 _‘Does that matter?’_ She wondered.

She didn’t want it to hurt, but also knew that there was still a small chance it could and that she was going to have to bear it if they were going to get any further.

She looked up, saw the hesitation in his eyes even as he did as she asked and slowly slid that second finger into her. While it didn’t exactly hurt, she was still startled by the small bit of discomfort she felt as her body adjusted to the intrusion and then pleasantly surprised at how quickly it melted away when he leaned in. Their lips moulded together in a long, languid kiss, her arms sliding up and around his neck as he started gently thrusting those fingers in and out of her, thumb still teasing her clit.

“ _Yes._ Oh, yes,” She moaned, gasping when he curled his fingers, making her hips instinctively jerk downwards. “ _Gabe…_ ”

He shivered at the sound. He _loved_ how vocal she was and revelled in the way she said his name as she eagerly moved against his hand. He’d been worried that his lack of experience would be a turn-off. That she’d be displeased with his fumbling around as they tried to figure each other out. But she wasn’t. She was patient and willing and… Oh so _sexy_. He loved knowing, seeing, _hearing_ that he was pleasing her.

He bit back a groan at the last thought, admitted before he could stop himself, “I love the way you moan.”

“G – Gabe…” She murmured, turned her gaze from his, a deep flush making its way down her body as she processed the words. She hadn’t been sure of _how_ to react to anything at first and had initially tried to hold back, fearing his reaction to any sound she would make. Would he like it? Or, would he tell her to be quiet? She thought it would be easy to keep quiet. That she could force it all down. But everything, every touch, every kiss, even those small, subtle glances he would give -- the ones where she could clearly see the love and amazement in his eyes – felt _incredible_. She got so lost in her pleasure that she forgot about trying to hold back. And now that she knew he not only liked but _loved_ her vocal reactions…Her thoughts stopped there, eyes widening when she registered the feeling of his tongue brushing against her nipple as his mouth returned to her breast.

She cried out, arched her back as his rhythm picked up. A familiar heat intensifying in her core, her senses spiralling as his fingers and lips continued their teasing, inching her ever closer to the edge.

Though he kept trying to force it back, Gabe finally gave in, let out the hard moan he’d been biting back as he surrendered to his own senses. He stopped thinking for a moment, focused on simply _feeling_ the way she moved underneath of him, hips eagerly shifting against his hand. The taste of her skin against his tongue. The slick sounds as his fingers slid in and out of her increasingly tight heat. The new, but distinctly feminine scent of her arousal that only seemed to grow stronger with every move he made. He let himself get lost. Thought about what it would be like to use _more_ than his fingers. How it would feel to actually _taste_ her, to have his tongue inside of her, drinking her in, savouring all of her sweetness, all of her heat. 

He swallowed, felt the heat rising on his cheeks as he confessed, “I’d really like to find out what you taste like.”

Carla’s eyes shot open, her startled gaze meeting his for barely a moment before he turned away, face flushing an even deeper shade of red.

 _‘Wait. Did I really just say that?!’_ He asked himself. Part of him wanted to take it back. Sure, he’d thought about it before. Briefly. But he’d never intended to tell her. At least, not like _that_.

 _‘Did he…? Does he really…?’_ Carla thought, her own cheeks flushing over again as she considered his words. The idea had actually never crossed her mind before, but when she thought about how it would feel to have his mouth on her, his tongue teasing her most sensitive area, working her in _all_ the right places just as his fingers were doing now as he continued at a steady pace, thumb pressing _just so_ against her clit, the tension in her core finally released, sending waves of ecstasy through every part of her body as she trembled underneath him.

She was beautiful in her ecstasy. Absolutely _beautiful_.

He breathed her name, watched in awe as she completely submitted to the pleasure _he_ was giving her, his own name rolling off of her lips in a girlish cry as she clung to him, her nails leaving marks that he neither felt nor cared about as he continued to move his fingers inside of her, slowing his rhythm as he saw her through her orgasm and then gave a soft groan when he felt a new, hot wave of her arousal come off on his skin.

He waited for her breathing to settle before shifting again to place a gentle kiss on her head, pulling back just enough to look into her eyes, heart catching when he caught the pure pleasure and lust dwelling within them before reality set back in and her eyes first widened and then flicked downwards as she realised exactly what had happened and turned her head, suddenly shy despite his entranced gaze.

At first, he was confused by the reaction. He thought to ask if something was wrong and was about to when reality suddenly crashed down, a wave of embarrassment washing over him as his own words came back and he hastily tried to figure out how to apologise. _‘I can’t believe I actually **said** that. What was I thinking? We can’t! It’s way too soon. I mean, I guess… We’ve already… No. It’s already awkward enough.’ _He sighed to himself as he pulled away and sat up. He took in a breath, hoped that he’d be able to find the _right_ words as he finally spoke again.

“Carla, I – Well – Er… I shouldn’t have said what I did. Not like that. We can wait if you want. Or… Maybe just… Just forget about it?”

Confused by his apology, Carla moved to sit up herself. Despite her reaction, she wasn’t offended. Just… Startled. She’d read those kinds of things in her romance novels, of course, but _never_ expected to actually hear such words from the man she loved. Not that she minded. She was growing to _like_ this new side of him. She knew he was affectionate – at least in private – but, having him be so open with her, so… _vulnerable_ … was exciting and she wanted him to know it was _okay_. That she wanted him to voice his desires, even if his words made her blush like crazy. Her mind began to wander back to what it might feel like if she gave him permission to do what he asked. As amazing as it sounded, she couldn’t shake the thought that… What if it was underwhelming? Or, worse, what if, even though he insisted, he _didn’t_ like the taste? What if he though it – _she_ – was disgusting?

She shook her head, attempted to push away the thought as she reached over, set a gentle hand on his cheek. “Gabe?” She asked, and he turned to her, the desire in his eyes still sparking underneath the shame. She held back the urge to frown at the sight, not wanting to make him feel worse than he already did. “You don’t have to apologise,” She reassured, carefully caressing his cheek with her thumb, just as she had done before, the tiniest of smiles playing at her lips as his eyes softened. “I was just – ” She paused, considered her words carefully. “ _Startled_ by the request. It’s not that I don’t want you to. I _do_. So much. It’s just – I – I’m just – afraid I might…” She trailed off and cast her eyes downward, willed herself to keep talking.

“You might what?” Gabe pressed and reached for her free hand, gently caressed the back of it with his own thumb.

She glanced up at him, swallowed when she saw the gentle concern in his gaze. Even if it was embarrassing to admit, she knew he wanted her to be honest. He always did. She took a breath, continued, “That I – Well – I might not – _taste_ good to you. I – I just – I want you to enjoy yourself. I want you to be happy. What if you don’t? What if it’s… _Bad_?” 

He smiled, reached up with his other hand and brushed her hair from her eyes, cheeks darkening as he breathed, “I don’t think you could _ever_ taste bad.”

“A – Are you sure you want to?” She asked, a sense of relief washing over as he pulled her in, gently touched his forehead to hers, the eagerness in his eyes, in his whole body, making her breath catch.

“Only if…” He trailed off when she put a finger to his lips, her own giving a reassuring smile as she whispered,

“I _am_.”

His doubts swept away by the quiet confidence in her voice, he leaned in, claimed her mouth with his in what started as a soft, tentative kiss that melted into a renewed passion as they slid back down onto the bed together. She gave a soft, desperate whimper when she felt his aching hardness pressing against her, this time with no barrier between them as she pressed herself to him, slid her tongue past his lips when they parted for her.

Despite the previously awkward tension, they easily fell back into it, the flame between them reigniting stronger than ever after. The only thing Carla registered was the sensation of Gabe’s touch as his hands began a new path down her sides, fingertips drawing nonsensical patterns along her heated skin as his lips followed, peppering kisses along her cheek and down her neck. Her hands clutched at the sheets as he continued his path downwards, placing a delicate kiss on each breast before moving even farther, creating a slow trail down her stomach that made her whimper again with longing. She hadn’t realised just how badly she wanted him to continue down her body until he actually started doing it, her excitement growing with each little peck. 

He groaned against her skin, appreciated the way she shuddered underneath him when he started trailing his fingertips along her inner thigh as his kisses reached past her navel, chin brushing over dark curls, the fragrance of her lust so strong the air was thick with it. So wet and heated. Yet, as much as he wanted to slip his tongue inside of her, to finally be able to know the most intimate part of her body, he hesitated and instead turned his attention to the thigh his hand was resting on, teasing both her and himself as he started a line of feather-light kisses up along the sensitive skin.

Carla bit her lip in an attempt to hold back what she knew would be a rather loud, girlish cry of pleasure. She swore she was only getting wetter with every tortuous kiss. Gone were her fears of not actually “tasting good” for him. All she wanted now was to have his mouth on her, pleasing her in ways she could have only _dreamed_ about.

He relished in the way she breathed his name in response to his ministrations as he continued his path back down her now quivering thigh, fingers still ghosting over her skin alongside his lips. He glanced up, caught the way her hand twisted into the blanket. While he wanted so much to give in and give her what she wanted, he also remembered something about women having to ‘get ready’ as he’d heard the other men put it and was afraid that giving in too soon could compromise that. But at the same time, he thought as he started kissing back up her thigh, he'd also heard - though he wasn't sure how true it was - that there was a limit of climaxes a person could stand, and he didn't want to push Carla too far. He also knew that if this went on for much longer, he'd risk being the one who was spent and without anything else to give her.  
“ _Gabe_!”

Her moan cut through the fog of his thoughts, and he quickly realised that, in his distraction, he’d been focusing on the same spot on her thigh. He felt first the smallest wave of heat cross his face at the mark he’d left and then a tiny pinch of happiness trickling through at the thought that _he_ was the one who’d marked her. That she loved and trusted and _wanted_ him enough to let him be with her this way.

“ _Please_ ,” She begged, bit her lip again, this time to ward off the urge to cry. She wanted – no, _needed_ – him so badly it _hurt_ and didn’t understand why he insisted on torturing her. It couldn’t be doing any good for him either.

Every drop of blood in his veins seemed to swell up at her words. Unable to hold back any longer, he placed just one more soft kiss over the mark he’d left and then, at last, obliged her.

That cry she’d been attempting to hold in finally came out as she threw her head back, desire throbbing in her core as he kissed between her legs, lips parting slightly to let his tongue begin to explore her as he took his free hand and reached up, found and untangled hers from the blanket so he could intertwine their fingers, noting the way her grip tightened when he moved up slightly.

It was a completely different feeling from when he used his fingers, though both overwhelmed her in ways she couldn’t even begin to explain. There was something about this that felt so much more _intimate_ than anything they’d done up until that point as he carefully worked to find just the right spot. She spread her legs further for him, her free hand moving to gently tease her own breast as she let out a series of soft little moans that melted into a low groan of his name when he pulled away ever so slightly, slid his hand back between her legs to find what she’d showed him just moments before. When he brushed his thumb against her clit and she voiced her approval, he smiled to himself, replaced his thumb with his mouth and turned his attention to licking and delicately sucking her most sensitive spot.

She wanted to tell Gabe how amazing he was. How beautiful he was making her feel. But found it difficult to even _think_ nonetheless say much of anything. Not when he had his tongue pressed against her clit, making every part of her tremble with a pure lust that only intensified when he slipped his fingers back inside of her. She cried out again, clenched his hand as he found and set a steady pace, a new heaviness building like storm clouds in the pit of her stomach.

Gabe pulled back again, took a moment to remind himself to breathe, to slow down before resuming his motions, the whirlwind building up in the depths of his own being growing stronger with each sound she made, each small movement of her hips, each second she spent holding tightly to his hand. Knowing that _he_ was responsible for giving her such pleasure was a feeling that he wouldn’t be able to properly describe if he tried. First, there was the joy he got from both the fact that he was able to make her feel _this_ good and that she wasn’t afraid to express that feeling. Then there was still the lingering awe that they were actually having this moment together in reality. That this wasn’t another one of his fantasies. All of it mingled with the smallest touch of pride in his own skills that, admittedly, surprised him.

Still, he knew he had to at least _try_ and slow down a bit, because if he didn’t, she wouldn’t either and he didn’t know how much longer he could hold himself back.

Carla first whimpered and then groaned when she felt him slowing his pace, fingers and tongue moving languidly, tortuously. He second hand moved up, twisted into the pillow above her head. She wanted to _scream._ Of all the times for him to decide to slow down, it had to be when she was _so close._ She clenched the hand that was holding his again, purposefully this time.

“D – Don’t – _Oh –_ Don’t stop!” She panted, arched her hips slightly to force his fingers in deeper and reiterate her point.

Despite being taken aback by her reaction, he did as she asked and, though it took nearly all of his willpower, forced his desires back down and picked up the pace again, being careful to keep a steady rhythm but not push so hard he hurt her by accident. Though he tried to hold it back, he gave a quiet moan against her sweet, heated flesh as he imagined how she would feel when he was moving _inside_ of her. While there was a part of him that was still afraid of taking that final step, the other was occupied with the thought of being surrounded by her slick passion and throbbing heat, of finally being able to – He stopped, snapped back to reality when she screamed, his name again tearing free from her lips as her passion crested over for the second time. Though he couldn’t help but wince at the feeling of her nails digging into his hand as she squeezed hard, he was still in awe of the way she dissolved into her pleasure, her whole body trembling as he took everything she gave, fingers and tongue still working to see her through her climax, slowing his motions as she came down from her zenith and fell back onto the bed, panting shallowly.

She’d _never_ been able to give herself an orgasm that was even half as powerful and wanted to laugh at the thought that, for someone who admitted to being inexperienced, Gabe was actually really good with his hands and – her blush deepened at the thought – his mouth. But it was more than that. It was the way he took his time with her. The way he’d _asked_ if he could try certain things. How he’d slowly explored her body to learn what she liked. Even his words, as embarrassing as they were, made her feel so wanted. It was beyond even her most elaborate dreams. She felt like she could burst with happiness just from knowing she was actually _awake_ for all of it. She gave a soft, contented sigh as he shifted, came up so that he was hovering over her again.

He smiled at the look in her eyes, at the contentment and love in them before that smile turned into a small smirk as he leaned down, teased, “I knew you’d taste good.”

She snapped to attention, a new wave of heat rising to her face as she tried to think of a response and only managed to get out part of his name before he interrupted her, his lips softly caressing hers as her hands came up to tangle in his hair and he shifted slightly, held back a groan when he felt her wet heat pressing against his tip as she arched into him, her hips grinding into his, a silent way of telling him that she was ready to take that final step.

It felt like every part of her was _aching_ for him. Even though she still lingered on the thought of it hurting, she _knew_ that she wanted him – _all_ of him – and that he felt the same with the way he pushed back against her as he kissed her deeply, tongue delicately swirling around hers.

She pulled back slightly, breath intermingling with his, she whimpered as she pushed herself against him, “Gabe, _please_.”

He swallowed at the urgency – the _need_ – in her voice, in her actions, the desperation for them to finally be _joined_. He wanted so much to just obey her. To finally be a _part_ of her. But something stopped him as she claimed his lips again. He wasn’t sure why the thought hadn’t crossed his mind before. Maybe it was the fear of asking such a question? Even if it _was_ important. Or, more likely, he’d been so caught up in the experience, in their passion, that he hadn’t thought to ask when he should’ve.

“Wait… _Wait_ ,” He murmured against her lips as he pulled away, abruptly breaking their kiss.

“ _Oh,_ what?” Carla whined, part of her hoping that he wasn’t backing out. There couldn’t be any second thoughts. Not after they’d gotten _this_ far! Not when her whole body was trembling with raw need.

“Well…It’s just – ” He started, forcing back the urge to frown at the disappointed look in her eyes. He understood why. He’d be upset too if she did the same to him. But, he knew he had to continue. “We didn’t – I mean, at least I don’t think – ”

Carla gave him a curious look, quirked one of her eyebrows as she tried to figure out what he was attempting to say and only drew blanks. He didn’t seem out of it. And she knew it wasn’t anything she did. At least, she hoped it wasn’t. So, why was he stopping?

He stopped, took in a breath and tried again, “We never talked about… Birth… Control?”

She blinked, took a moment to process his words before it clicked and she confessed, “Oh! I already used the spell for that.”

He breathed a sigh of relief, and then, once he realised exactly what she’d said, tilted his head slightly as he blurted out, “There’s a spell for that?” 

Unable to help herself, Carla giggled at both his startled expression and his words as she reached up, set a gentle hand on his neck, “Yes, _Querido_ ,” She purred, urged him back down so she could touch her lips to his again. She slid her arms around his neck, eagerly pressed herself against him as they fell into another slow, sensual kiss, pleading when she pulled back, “Take me, Gabe. Make me _yours_.”

He had thought to ask at least once more if she _really_ wanted to do this. But knew from the love in her eyes and the desire behind her words that there was no need. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that they _both_ wanted this and had for some time. With that in mind, and with their fears all but gone, he reached between them and guided himself to her aching heat.

Carla let out a soft gasp as Gabe sunk into her. Though he was slow and gentle, it was still uncomfortable. It didn’t actually hurt. At least not like she thought it would given what she’d read. But it was still discomforting. She took in a breath, let herself relax under him as she tilted her head up, pressed a soft kiss to his lips. She clutched his shoulders and hitched her hips up, letting him fill her completely.

Though he’d had dreams about it and had a vague idea, he knew as he slid into her that he never could have imagined how tight and wet and warm she would feel around him. He moaned when she took him in deeper, took a second to breathe as he stilled, gave her a moment to adjust. He leaned down, touched his forehead to hers. “You okay?” He asked.

She didn’t think she could speak if she tried, so she simply nodded. She’d thought about this so many times. Lost herself in more fantasies than she wanted to admit. But none of that could have prepared her for how incredible it would feel to actually have him inside her. The closeness. The intimacy. There weren’t words to properly describe how it felt. Not that words mattered much when he started to slowly rock his hips towards hers, groaning when she did the same and began to move with him as they worked to find and eventually settled into a gentle rhythm.

“Oh, _Carla_ ,” He moaned as he shifted up slightly, heard her mewl with pleasure as his thrusts became faster, smoother, his shaft rubbing against her most sensitive spot with each movement. He paid careful attention to her face, watched for any indication that he was being too rough, but the only emotion he saw was pure joy as she clung to him, the helpless noises she made every time his hips met hers echoing that feeling. 

She gasped out his name again, drew him down for another searing kiss.

He returned the kiss with one of equal vigour, thrusting just an edge harder as he did so and then stopping when she broke the kiss with a startled gasp and threw her head back, eyes fluttering closed as her nails sunk into his shoulders again.

“A – Are you alright?” He managed to ask, afraid that he’d hurt her. He thought he’d been gentle enough, even to the point of holding back his own urges for her sake but being with her was just so… _Intoxicating_. It didn’t take much for him to lose himself to the ecstasy of her body, his control hanging on by a thread.

“Don’t you _dare_ stop!” She hissed as she pushed against him, not a hint of pain in her voice, only that same impatience she had when teaching him a new dance, which he supposed this was. A special kind of dance different from any they’d ever done. For once, she wasn’t _teaching_ him. No. They were learning, sharing, loving _together_. Even in their inexperience, they were passionate, and in that passion, she displayed the same grace as when they were twirling around the ballroom floor. She’d made her feelings known in the most intimate way and he smiled at her eagerness, relieved that he hadn’t done anything wrong and that she was not only enjoying herself but wanted _more_.

He shuddered at the thought as he pulled halfway out of her, relished in the frustrated groan she gave right before he plunged back in, bringing another gasp from her, the last bits of his control slowly fading away. He knew he wasn’t going to last much longer, not when he could feel her on the edge of her own release, a low moan rolling off his lips at the way her thighs pressed tightly around either side of his hips as she tried to pull him down with her, wanting him to be closer. He slid his arms underneath her, hands resting on her back as he lifted her slightly, pressing her against him.

She revelled in the feeling of being so close to him, each thrust bringing her higher and higher until she finally crashed and cried out his name, spine bowing as she surrendered to her pleasure for the _third_ time that night, whatever composure she had left completely shattering as electricity shot through every one of her nerves.

And it was _everything_ \-- from the way her walls suddenly, tightly clenched around him, to the way she held onto him, her body quivering with desire for him, _because_ of him while his name spilled from her lips again – that finally broke him. The closeness he and Carla were sharing in that moment overwhelmed him as he held her tightly to him and his motions quickened. While he had initially set out to please her, to put aside his own desires in favour of making sure _she_ was satisfied, he felt his instincts take over as the sparks ignited into flame and he let go inside of her, trembling through his release as he moaned hotly against ear.

For a moment, neither dared to move, they simply remained, the space between them filled with the sounds of shallow breathing and pounding heartbeats as they appreciated the incredible closeness they had just shared. 

Gabe gave her a soft smile, brushed away some stray hair that was stuck to her forehead before leaning down to gently kiss first that spot and then her lips.

Carla returned the slow, languid kiss, one of her hands coming around to cradle his jaw as she put into the kiss what she couldn’t bring herself to out loud, not with her head still reeling from what had just happened, all of her still hot and tingling with sensations that she didn’t know could be so intense. At least, not until that night. Unable to help herself, she giggled when she pulled back, gently ruffled his tousled hair.

Thinking that he should say something, _anything_ , he took in a small breath. “That was – You are –” He muttered, struggling to find adequate words and then stopping when she put a finger to his lips, leaned up for another kiss. He gave up then, figured the words would come naturally once they settled.

She moaned quietly when he finally, reluctantly, eased out of her and moved to lean against the pillows. As content as she was to remain in her spot, she forced herself up just enough to join him, her head resting delicately on his chest as the heat around them cooled and she settled against him

He glanced down, his smile widening as he ran a hand through her hair. If he was honest with himself, he hadn’t known what to expect that night, but knowing that she was content, or at least seemed to be, calmed some of the lingering nerves he had. They lay in silence for a few minutes, simply enjoying each other’s presence before he spoke again. Twirling a piece of hair with his finger, he started carefully, “So… Um… Did you – I mean, how was – ” 

Carla smiled softly, held back the urge to laugh at how cute his stuttering was. He was always like that when he was nervous and it never stopped being adorable, though she wouldn’t dare tell him. She quickly figured out what he was trying to ask and lifted her head so she could meet his eyes, replied before he could finish, “It was _perfect_.”

He breathed a soft sigh of relief. He had suspected as much with the way she’d reacted to him, but still couldn’t shake the tiny bit of doubt in the back of his mind, especially considering the awkward pause they’d had right after he accidentally admitted to wanting to “taste” her. But, as embarrassing as it was, he was glad he _did_ say something, or else he might not have gotten the chance to actually act on it. She was right. It had been perfect, at least for them. He couldn’t imagine being so open – so intimate – with anyone else even though he’d been tempted a few times over the years to go to bed with someone, _anyone_. He sighed again, admitted as he found her hand,

“I’m glad I waited for you.”

Carla flicked her eyes up at him, eyebrow raised as she waited for him to continue.

“As dumb as it sounds, I worried sometimes that it seemed p _athetic_ that I’d never been with a woman. From what I heard, it seemed like everyone else had. Sometimes I thought about doing it just to, well… _Do it_. But, I’m glad I didn’t. I’m happy my first time was with you.”

“Stop it,” She muttered, buried her head in his chest in a poor attempt to hide her reddening cheeks.

 _‘You’re too cute,’_ He thought with a soft laugh both at the thought that she didn’t know what to do and the way she tried to hide how badly he’d caught her off guard. He settled a hand on her back. He knew she wasn’t trying to be mean or dismissive. She just didn’t know _how_ to react to such a bold statement. He laughed again at the thought that some things never changed. As long as they’d been together, Carla still struggled with actually being romanced, at least verbally. He knew she appreciated it. She was just never quite sure how to reciprocate at first.

There was a long pause while Carla ran over the words in her head again, contemplated for a moment on how to respond before deciding to just speak from the heart, a smile playing at her lips as she looked up at him again, confessed, “I’m happy you were my first too.” She then giggled when he kissed her head, continued, “I never thought I’d get this far with any man. Well, not one I actually liked, anyway. I always thought I would _have_ to ‘just do it’ at some point, but I never wanted that.”

“What did you want?” Gabe asked warmly.

Blushing, she whispered, “Romance. This is going to sound stupid, but I never wanted to just have sex. I wanted to _make love_. I wanted to… Well… To be with someone I loved and trusted. But I always thought this was a far-off fantasy. Until I fell for you.”

“It’s not stupid,” He reassured. “I wanted the same thing. And, to be honest, I started to think it might not happen for me either. Until you came along.”

Startled by his confession, Carla sat up to face him, blurted out before she could stop herself, “You? But – But… You’re the _Captain_ of the Guard! You can have any woman you want!”

“Doesn’t mean I’d actually connect with them,” He pointed out, “Besides, I don’t want ‘any woman.’” He shifted, reached over to set his hands on her waist and pull her towards him. “I want the _right_ woman.” He leaned down, lips lingering just inches above hers he whispered, “I want… _You_.”

Carla didn’t respond, not right away, instead she leaned up to close the distance between them, met his lips in a soft, lingering kiss, her hands wandering from their place at his shoulders, down over the planes of his chest and then farther, a renewed heat bubbling up in her core at the thought of being able to run her hands and lips over every inch of his skin, just as he had done to her – until she felt _his_ hand settle on top of hers. Confused, she glanced up at him, met his hesitant gaze with her curious one. She tilted her head slightly, teased, “What? I don’t get a turn?”

“Not now,” He replied. As much as he wanted to, he _knew_ he wouldn’t be able to handle a second round. “I’m exhausted and so are you.”

She frowned, opened her mouth to protest and was silenced when he put his finger to her lips.

“Tomorrow,” He promised, lips curving into the tiniest of smirks as he suggested, “We can even take a bath in the morning if you like.”

“A bath… _With you_?” She said, the deep blush returning to her cheeks as she ran over the words in her head again to make sure she heard him correctly. The more she thought about it, the redder she became. She wasn’t opposed to the idea. Not in the slightest. It sounded like fun. As long as he didn’t mind the fact that she often took too long because she spent more time _playing_ with the bubbles than actually washing.

“If you want,” He repeated, not wanting her to think he was pushing it. He’d be alright if she said ‘no.’ He’d be lying to himself if he didn’t admit that he’d be a little disappointed, but he’d still respect her decision, whatever it was in the morning. “But _now_ , you need to get ready to go to _sleep_ ,” He insisted, held back a laugh at her annoyed huff.

She pouted, grumbled, “ _Fine_ ,” before reluctantly breaking away from him and sliding off the bed with a hard sigh to make her way into the bathroom to go through her usual bedtime routine. She knew he was right. She _was_ tired. And they had a _long_ day of festival preparations to finish before the royal garden party the following evening. She giggled to herself at the memory of how she’d spent hours rifling through the royal closet trying to find something for the party and ended up picking a plain, lavender piece she embellished herself. She only hoped Gabe would appreciate her efforts. She smiled at the thought as she picked up her hairbrush, hesitated before deciding to take it with her when she finally came back into the room, frowning when Gabe handed over her nightgown and underwear.

“What’s this for?” She asked even as she took them with her free hand. She’d been under the impression that people slept naked after sex. After all, it was how most of the scenes in her books ended. Her frowned deepened at the thought that maybe he was tired of looking at her already. That he actually _didn’t_ like her body.

Reading the concern on her face, he clarified, “So you don’t freeze. You _do_ get cold easily.”

“But _Gabe_ …” Carla started to protest.

“ _Carla_ ,” Gabe warned softly, giving her that stern look that meant he wasn’t going to argue.

She sighed, but did as she was told and slipped both the pieces on, handing him her brush immediately after and stepping back over to climb on the bed, noting how he’d replaced the bedcover as he settled behind her and began to skilfully separate and brush through her hair as they sat in a comfortable silence until he finished and declared that it was time for bed even as she pouted at him again.

“What did I tell you about that face?” He teased as he stood and set her brush down on the nightstand, earning another huff in response as he moved to grab her blanket out of her luggage.

Though she had initially protested, Carla couldn’t help but smile when he draped the blanket over her, made sure she was tucked in and comfortable before going around the room and carefully extinguishing each of the remaining candles, double-checking his work and then sliding in next to her. He leaned over, kissed her head, smiled at the contented noise she made as she snuggled further into her favourite blanket, and said softly, lovingly, “Sweet dreams, _Cutie_


End file.
